Unusual seat / memory issues on 2010 XFR

[The Voices]

Recently purchased a 2010 (2011MY) XFR and a very strange fault has appeared.

It has the 18 way drivers seat with memory function, everything was working fine.


Then the memory switch on the door started to behave in an odd way.

Usual function of this switch is to press the 'memory' button, which illuminates in amber, and then press '1' or '2' to store your settings on the desired number.

To recall the previously memorised settings, just press '1' or '2'

So far, so good !


Now, when I press 'memory', nothing lights up, pressing the numbered buttons does not bring up the 'memory settings saved' message on the dashboard, I deduced from this that it is not just the illumination function that has failed.

If I start again from scratch having locked and unlocked the car, pressing '1' or '2' causes the amber memory light to come on (which shouldn't happen) but no 'memory setting recalled' message on the dash.

I presume this problem is related to the other issue that has manifested itself on the drivers seat.

If I unlock the car and get in but don't start the engine, all of the electric seat movements work, if I start the engine and then try to adjust the seat, forward and back won't work.

This is puzzling because 'height' and 'tilt' are on the same 6 way switch on the seat.

So far, all I have done is have a look at the seat tracks to make sure there is nothing obvious that would inhibit the forward and back movement and a battery disconnect just in case.

I have also tried to establish the full extent of the 'forward and back' movement that the seat is capable of when the engine is not running.

This revealed a fair amount of movement in either direction before the seat stopped.

When moving the seat forward, I also found that if I held the button for another 2 seconds after it stopped, the seat then started moving forward again for quite a distance (so close that I was almost pinned to the steering wheel)

I know that the '2 second press' is to allow you to override the function that cuts in if the seat thinks it has encountered an obstruction or resistance.

My iCarsoft reader did reveal a fault code for the drivers seat module, B1B88 'seat slide motor relay' ?

I cleared it but comes back every time I try to move the seat with the engine running.

Very annoying and a bit 'random'

Going to plug it in on SDD on Tuesday evening but wondered if anyone has come across this before or has any ideas or input ?

[The Voices]

I seem to have fixed it !

Replaced the memory switch on the door and immediately had the correct operation of the memory functions, but still no drivers seat forward and back movement with the engine running.

At this point, I thought that I was still going to need to use SDD to diagnose and possibly have to replace the seat module.

Then I thought, what if it has a stored fault code generated by the faulty memory switch ?

Connected my code reader and, sure enough, B1B88 was showing.

Cleared the code and all working fine since then.